Celco Heating and Air Conditioning Blog : Archive for August, 2014

Your ductwork is an integral part of your air conditioning system, but it is also the most overlooked because it isn’t visible. Faulty ductwork can be highly inefficient, which is why it’s important for your ductwork to be in good shape. Duct repair in Shelton, CT can help keep your ductwork healthy and efficient, but to truly reap the benefits of ductwork repair, it should always be handled by a professional. Celco Heating and Air Conditioning has been repairing ductwork since 1976, so we bring almost 40 years of knowledge and experience to every job we do.

Is It Time for Duct Repair?

There are some common signs it may be time for duct repair in your home:

Consistent whistling noises – do you hear whistling noises coming through the vents every time your AC delivers air? This can indicate leaks in the ductwork through which air is seeping.

Uneven cooling – are there hot and cold areas in your home? Are there rooms that seem to receive less air than others? When certain ducts have cracks, holes and disconnections, the air flow is interrupted and can create uneven cooling in your home.

Unpleasant odors – musty smells coming from your ductwork can indicate the presence of mold and/or mildew growth in the ducts. Mold and mildew aren’t just stinky, they can be very unhealthy for the people in your home.

Excess humidity – have you noticed that the moisture level in your home has increased? Air from the outside can enter your air flow due to the cracks and holes in the vent work, and get delivered right into your living spaces.

High energy bills – air loss is one of the biggest problems with faulty ductwork. It is estimated that you can lose up to 30% of your air just from faulty ducts. This puts stress on your air conditioner as it has to make up for that loss, and does so by using more energy.

While there are many different types of air conditioning systems available today, you may be most familiar with the traditional two-part home air conditioners that blow cool air through the ducts in a home. However, if you have an older home that was built without ductwork, or if you’re adding a room onto your home, a ducted system may be difficult or impossible to install. Ductless cooling systems, often known as ductless mini splits, can cool or heat your entire home efficiently without the hassle of ductwork installation. If you’re looking for a high-performance ductless cooling solution, read on to learn about the many advantages of ductless mini splits.

Efficient Whole-House Cooling

Many homeowners without any ductwork may choose to install small room or window air conditioners throughout the house. But these are often too small to cool an entire room, and the noise may be unbearable for some homeowners. Window air conditioners are also inefficient, while ductless air conditioners may have a much higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), a measurement of a unit’s energy consumption.

Increased Comfort

Another benefit of ductless cooling is zone control. Zone control allows you to choose to adjust the temperature in a room or zone differently from other areas of the house. Because ductless cooling involves the installation of multiple indoor air handlers controlled by separate thermostats, your family members may choose to set the temperature to their own preferences in their own rooms.

Energy Savings

Zone control also offers you the opportunity to save money on your energy bills. For example, if no one uses the upstairs rooms in the daytime, you can choose to raise the temperature or shut off the air upstairs only. The absence of ducts is another way you can save energy with ductless cooling. Often, cool air leaks from the ductwork of central air conditioning systems, costing homeowners extra to cool an unused space such as an attic or crawlspace. Ductless cooling eliminates the energy loss associated with ducts.

If you want to benefit from installing ductless cooling in Bridgeport, let the experts at Celco Heating and Air Conditioning size and install your new energy-efficient system for you. Give us a call today!

Air filters are very effective at capturing a number of particles in your home, but biological pollutants tend to be very small and, as a result, hard to capture with a filter. Biological pollutants are cells that live and reproduce, such as bacteria, viruses, mold spores, fungi and mildew. They can aggravate allergies and compromise health, and can pollute the air that circulates through your air conditioning system. But there is one very effective product that can destroy the biological pollutants in your home, which Celco Heating and Air Conditioning has been installing in Greenwich for years: UV germicidal lights.

What Are UV Germicidal Lights?

UV germicidal lights emit radiation in the form of UV-C rays. UV-C light kills micro-organisms by altering DNA and destroying life-sustaining proteins of the cells. This not only kills the organism but also destroys its ability to reproduce.

How Are UV Lights Used?

In an air conditioning system, UV lights can be placed over the coils and in vents. They are quite flexible, but the best placement is in areas where biological growth can occur. The lights are stationary, but kill any biological pollutant that passes underneath the lights.

How Effective Are They?

UV lights are more than 99% effective against biological pollutants.

Do UV Lights Filter Anything?

UV lights do not filter, so it is recommended that they are paired with an air filter in order to capture particles and cleanse your indoor air most effectively.

Benefits of UV Germicidal Lights

Better health

Improved indoor air quality

Destruction of biological pollutants

Flexible placement

Extend life of air conditioner

Are They Expensive to Run?

UV lights cost about 1 cent per day to operate.

Do They Need Maintenance?

UV lights last an average of 12 months, so it is recommended that you replace them annually. Sometimes the lights can get dusty, which may inhibit their operation, so it’s advisable to have them cleaned by a professional.

UV germicidal lights are the only air cleaner that can truly eradicate biological pollutants from your home. If you have questions about UV lights, or are interested in installing UV germicidal lights in your Greenwich home, call Celco Heating and Air Conditioning today.

Your air conditioner can’t wave a white flag when it’s ready to give up, but it will display signs that its tenure is at an end. Summer is obviously not the best time for a new air conditioning installation in New Haven, but it does happen. What are some of the signs you should be looking for? Here is a short list our Celco Heating and Air Conditioning technicians have put together to help you:

Frequent repairs – we love our customers, but are we seeing you too much? Frequent repairs are not only inconvenient, they can add up to be quite costly. In fact, they can sometimes add up to the cost of a new system. If this is the case with your AC, it may be time to look at purchasing a new system.

Age – is your air conditioner more than 10 years old? If so, you may be losing out on energy efficiency. It’s estimated that today’s air conditioners are as much as 60% more efficient than models from just 10 years ago, a difference that could save you money in monthly utility bills.

Decreased cooling – aging air conditioners can lose the ability to keep up with your home’s cooling demand. Sometimes this becomes evident as hot-and-cold spots throughout your home, or your AC just doesn’t cool as well as it once did. Pushing an aging air conditioner only accelerates the chances of breakdown, so if your air conditioner isn’t cooling properly, it may be time to look at one that can.

Costly repairs – costly repairs add up faster than smaller, frequent repairs, putting a dent in your wallet and monthly budget very quickly. At some point, you may have to weigh whether or not it’s worth your time and money to make a costly repair, or smarter to replace your existing unit.

Your system uses R-22 (Freon) – R-22, better known as Freon, is being phased out by the government, and by 2020 will no longer be available. While Freon is no longer used in the manufacturing of air conditioners, it is available for repairs – but the cost has skyrocketed. R-22 cannot be replaced with the more environmentally-friendly R-410A, so if you have a system that needs R-22, replacement is inevitable.

Are you seeing the signs for the possible replacement of your air conditioner?

If so, don’t let just anyone handle your air conditioning installation in New Haven. Since 1976, Celco Heating and Air Conditioning has helped New Haven customers with AC installation, and we can help you, too. Call us today!